Definitions of Sanity
by dave-d
Summary: Sousuke's latest debacle has the school sending him to visit with a psychologist. Kaname accompanies him. The story can stand alone or fit in any continuum the reader prefers.
1. Default Chapter

The smoke had cleared from the gymnasium.  
  
The strong odor of zinc chloride still permeated the room.  
  
The firemen and rescue team were relieved to find out it was only a false alarm. But, they were exceedingly unhappy that it was _another_ false alarm.  
  
Gym teachers and students, resigned to their fate, were by no means surprised.  
  
The janitor mumbled words under his breath that are best not repeated.  
  
The school vice principal was livid.  
  
"What happened here? And why _today_ of all days? We're holding the regional volleyball tournament here tomorrow!" Mr. Ichibara was new to the job. He had been assigned to the school one week earlier, but his coronary arteries and gastric ulcer all swore that he must have been there a whole year already.  
  
"There was a large dense cloud of noxious smoke, sir." Mr. Murabi, one of the P.E. instructors, held out a discolored smoke grenade. "We found _this_."  
  
Mr. Ichibara found himself unable to speak for a moment. His whole body shook. The veins at his temples bulged, ready to burst. His hands became rigid claws. He knew who was responsible. It could be no one else.  
  
"Whose......is......_that!!!"  
_  
Sousuke stepped out of the milling group of students, his posture erect and eyes looking straight forward. "Sir, it should now be the property of the sanitation engineer. It is entirely safe. It does not require an expert in ordinance removal!"  
  
Many of the students laughed.  
  
Kaname looked for something to throw at Sousuke.  
  
Mr. Murabi wiped his forehead.  
  
Sighing, Mr. Ichibara wondered why he had taken this job. Was the money really worth it? "Let me rephrase the question. Whose WAS that?"  
  
"It was mine, _Sir!"_ Sousuke stood at attention.  
  
"Why am I not surprised, Mr. Sagara?" It was a rhetorical question. Sousuke did not view it that way.  
  
"Because you are an astute leader, sir. I fail to see why many of the teachers have already begun referred to you as a _chowder head_ when they think they cannot be overheard." Sousuke stood at parade rest.  
  
Mr. Murabi used all of his willpower to keep from snickering. The students were far less considerate. The sound of their combined laughter was deafening. The janitor had to shout to hear his own cursing.  
  
Mr. Ichibara was beet red. He could barely stutter. When his face had the complexion of a tomato, he was able to force out "But.........._why_..........did..........you..........use..........it?"  
  
He let out a long breath, his normal coloration returning. "Can you give me even _one_ reason that makes any sense?"  
  
"Sir, it was for Miss Chidori's sake." Sousuke spoke the truth without thinking about the consequences. Kaname's eyes glowed with demonic fury.  
  
"How? Did Miss Chidori _ask_ you to use the smoke grenade?" Mr. Ichibara's voice was practically dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"No sir," Sousuke snapped out his answer briskly, standing at attention again. "Her own skills at recognizing hazardous situations are woefully lacking. At times she can be rather obtuse in that regard."  
  
Kyouko was glad she had brought her camera to gym class. Kaname was trying to pull a metal bar off of the wall. She was grunting like a boar going full tilt after a truffle.  
  
"Of course. I can see that." Mr. Ichibara jumped when the sound of a dropped piece of metal echoed about the cavernous room. "What was the hazardous situation, Mr. Sagara?"  
  
"Sir, she was at risk of positional asphyxia. That alone did not require the cover of smoke. However, having watched the progression of events, I could not entirely exclude the possibility of a an exceedingly clever conspiracy. No one could have suspected the perpetrators. It would have looked like an accident. I needed to remove Miss Chidori unseen, in case someone intended to take things a step further." Sousuke was pleased with his efficient report.  
  
Mr. Ichibara felt the burning sensation in his gut again.  
  
He grimaced, realizing that he had left his antacids back at his desk.  
  
"I'm trying very hard to be patient, Mr. Sagara," he managed to grunt out between clenched teeth. "You have one more opportunity to make sense out of all this, or you _and_ Miss Chidori will be spending time with me in my office after class today."  
  
Kaname turned as white as a she as she mouthed the word 'me.'  
  
"I will keep things simple, sir. Not everyone here is a specialist like you and myself. I had been observing Miss Chidori, alert for any sign of peril. She was the center bottom person on a fifteen person pyramid. The structure had been performed without a single slip or poorly timed movement. I was not concerned. But, then I caught sight of suspicious activity. One girl placed her hand out, missing Kaname's shoulder, even though it was not moving. She gave way. The entire group of girls fell on top of Miss Chidori and was laying on top of each other laughing. There was a strong possibility that---"  
  
"I was laughing _too_, you crazy otaku!!!" Kaname was red in the face, hands at her hips.  
  
The Vice Principal rubbed his chin. _Crazy?_ The boy's actions might indeed go beyond poor judgment and an abnormal fascination with military things.  
  
"Kaname, please do not interrupt. I do, however, appreciate your attempt to prove my point." Kyouko took shot after shot of the progression of looks passing across Kaname's face.  
  
"Miss Chidori's laughter was indeed inappropriate. Frighteningly so. Laughter in the face of danger could have been a sign of severe oxygen starvation. There was little time before she suffered irreversible anoxic brain injury. For that---"  
  
"SOUSUKE!!! Keep it up and you will be suffering irreversible brain injury." Kaname had the iron bar again.  
  
Sousuke walked up close to Mr. Ichibara, speaking quietly so not to be overheard. "Miss Chidori's actions support my conjecture, sir. In some studies, oxygen deprivation in mice or other small rodents has resulted in violent behavior."  
  
"Really?" Mr. Ichibara caught himself.  
  
"Mr. Sagara, that does not explain why she pushed an entire cabinet of instruments on you in music class yesterday, or why she broke an expensive globe on your head in history class the day before that." He caught himself again. "And _none_ of that explains today's tragedy in the least. Can't you see why I am so furious? You couldn't _possibly_ be blind to the inappropriateness of you actions...."  
  
"I noticed that you have been holding your breath out of bad temper, Sir. That too could lead to a shortage of oxygen."  
  
_"AARRGGHH!"_ The man tore at his hair.  
  
"Enough. My heart can't take any more of this. You. Miss Chidori. My office. After school." With that, Mr. Ichibara strode quickly from the room, mumbling to himself in almost incoherent fashion..  
  
"Conspiracies........... perpetrators........... intentional accidents.......... smoke grenades.......... _oxygen depravation."_  
  
Ever helpful, Sousuke called out "Mr. Ichibara, there is an oxygen cylinder in the nurse's office." Watching the man run out of the room after that, he felt a feeling of satisfaction, knowing he had helped.  
  
"Funny you should mention the nurse's office, Sousuke."  
  
Sousuke turned around.  
  
Kaname was there.  
  
She had a blunt instrument in her hand.  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
After entering the posh office, Sousuke introduced himself and immediately took one of the offered chairs in front of a large polished mahogany desk.  
  
Kaname went straight over to a wall covered by framed diplomas and certificates.  
  
"They certainly look real. I'm assuming that these cannot be purchased, counterfeited, or stolen." Inwardly, she cursed. _Now he's got me thinking like HIM.  
_  
The halisen tapped against her leg as her arm twitched involuntarily.  
  
"Yes, Miss Chidori, I can assure they are real. If you are truly concerned, I can give you the telephone number for the regional referral office, or can put you in touch with the registrar at my training school." Dr. Wakinabe was a middle-aged man with piercing eyes and a lop-sided smile. A large scar ran from his mouth to his chin, a souvenir of his days on the street as a youth.  
  
"No, no. That's not necessary. It's not as if we're here on my behalf, any way. If that military otaku isn't worried, why should I care?" Kaname sat down next to Sousuke, giving him a nasty look before turning her back to him altogether.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe scribbled some words on a large notepad:  
  
_Patient relationship to female classmate? Reason for her reaction to him_?  
  
"Sousuke, the telephone call from Mr. Ichibara was near incoherent at times. I shouldn't say this, but it almost seems as if he has serious anxiety issues. He insisted that I do a thorough examination of you, for the good of the entire school." The doctors took a drink from a glass of water before continuing.  
  
"I was able to make out the words gym, smoke, conspiracy, perpetrators, pyramid, and oxygen. An interesting set of words, to say the least. Hopefully you will help shed some light on the situation." Dr. Wakinabe leaned back in his chair, pad on his lap.  
  
"I shall do my best, sir!" Sousuke was sitting ramrod straight in his chair.  
  
This was a professional he was reporting to.  
  
_A specialist.  
_  
"Good, good. I'm happy to hear that. First, Miss Chidori, I thank you for escorting Sousuke here. But, as this is a personal meeting...... and one that requires the strictest confidentiality...... I will need to ask you to have a seat in the waiting area. The receptionist will bring you refreshments if you like. The selection of reading material is rather extensive."  
  
Kaname's face went through a series of expressions.  
  
_Shock_ at being asked to leave.  
  
_Acceptance_, once she realized the validity of the request.  
  
_Exuberance_, when she thought about free time without Sousuke dogging her steps.  
  
_Disappointment_, when she realized that she might be missing out on some choice stuff.  
  
"Certainly, doctor." She rose from her seat, but stopped when Sousuke's hand touched her wrist lightly.  
  
"Sir, I have no problem with Miss Chidori staying in the room with us. There may be important things for her to hear and come to terms with, that I would be unlikely to tell her in other situations. As you mentioned confidentiality, and you are a professional of the highest order, I will confide in you the fact that I have been assigned to serve as her bodyguard."  
  
Kaname frowned. She was still not entirely happy with that arrangement. Who could possibly blame her.  
  
"However, despite my trust in you, I can be no more precise than that." Sousuke's look was very intense.  
  
"Hmmmmm. Bodyguard....." The doctor wrote on his pad. "Miss Chidori, is this true, or a confabulation?"  
  
Kaname remembered certain cartoons from when she was younger. There would be a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. She could understand why people used that representation for a person's conscience. Her initial intention was of course to admit the truth. Of course, she could cause him some mischief if she feigned surprise.  
  
He certainly deserved it! The last few weeks had been particularly Sousukesque.  
  
No. She had to tell the truth.  
  
"It's true." She sighed. Sousuke looked at her, taking note of her reaction.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe tapped one finger against his cheek for a few moments, looking from Sousuke to Kaname and back again. "Bodyguard? Well, that in itself raises interesting questions, but may also provide us with some explanations for your behavior."  
  
Kaname clenched her fists. She didn't want to have Sousuke's actions just brushed off or explained away. They were not normal. HE was not normal. Maybe a thorough evaluation could find some explanation, and provide an opportunity for correction.  
  
"Your request is highly irregular, Sousuke. We will be discussing things that are very personal, things which people of all ages often find embarrassing. I will need you to promise me that you would answer every question in the same manner you would have if Miss Chidori was not here. The whole interview would be invalid if you were to purposefully lie or withhold important feelings or information."  
  
"Sir, it is not a problem. I am quite capable of...." Sousuke was cut off.  
  
_"Eh hemmmmmmm_. Not a problem?" Kaname was glowering. "I've already learned more than enough about a certain Moody Military Maniac. It's enough that he follows me everywhere I go.......... blowing things up.......... getting_ me_ in trouble.......... ruining my life.  
  
Kaname stood up and headed for the door. "Doctor, do me a favor. Cure him as fast as you can. If you can't, have him certified as insane and unable to attend school. You would be doing me a_ big_ favor. You would be doing the entire student population of Jindai High School a great service."  
  
Dr. Wakinabe was quiet as he watched Kaname, listening to her vent.  
  
He scribbled on his pad some more.  
  
_Anger.  
_  
_Frustration.  
_  
_Exaggeration._  
  
"Sir, I apologize for Miss Chidori. It has been a trying day for her. Physical trauma and oxygen deprivation." Sousuke sat back in his chair.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe opened his mouth to answer, but waited too long.  
  
"Sousuke!" Kaname stamped her foot. "Enough with that _NONSENSE."_ She slapped her hailsen against her leg. Then she turned to the observant doctor and spoke.  
  
"On second thought, I'm _not_ going anywhere." She walked over and sat down in her chair after pulling it another three feet away from Sousuke. "No telling what sort of stupid things he will say, believing they are true. I can help in that regard."  
  
Dr. Wakinabe sat back in his chair for a while and watched the actions of the two teenagers. The young man sat erect, relaxed. His eyes were often moving, taking in various aspects of the room. His gaze was strong and open.  
  
The young woman seemed agitated. One moment she would be serene, controlled. The next moment, she might be irritated or impatient. The look she gave the young man was difficult to interpret. Sometimes, it looked pleading. Other times, her expression looked friendly. Most of the time, however, she tended to scowl and mumble to herself.  
  
_Yes, this would be highly irregular. But, it might provide useful information._  
  
"Well then. I've decided. You may stay if you wish Miss Chidori. If neither of you needs to visit the restroom facilities, let's begin. Are you both comfortable? It's very important that you are. I can have different chairs brought in, or you may recline on the couch." Dr. Wakinabe waved his arm towards a leather couch alongside of his desk, the elevated arm near his chair.  
  
Kaname spoke up first, resting the halisen across her lap.  
  
"Doctor, sometimes its difficult being comfortable with the human natural catastrophe over there........... but I've been through many tough times, so I will survive." Kaname looked over at Sousuke.  
  
The doctor wrote down 'tough times.'  
  
"You don't have to worry about him. He's just as comfortable sleeping under a bed as he is laying on rocky ground. More often than not, he's the cause of everyone else's discomfort!" Kaname's lips were pressed hard together. She tried to keep her feelings under control. But, things had been so hectic lately, and today was the crowning ignominity.  
  
"Tough times? I see. I'm sorry to hear that." Dr. Wakinabe turned his attention to Sousuke. "Sousuke, hearing no complaints from you, let's start off by discussing the occurrence in the gym. What happened. Why it happened. The thought processes that went through your mind. After that, we will delve into your past, and for completeness sake, go through a number of psychological tests. "  
  
"By your command, sir."  
  
"OK, Sousuke, in your own words, can you...." Dr. Wakinabe was interrupted.  
  
"Doctor, before we begin, may I ask you a pertinent question?" Kaname looked as if she had experienced an epiphany.  
  
"Certainly"  
  
"Are you a _medical_ doctor?" Kaname sat forward in her chair, chin in her hand. "Could you prescribe Sousuke tranquilizers or something?" She tapped her fingers on her cheek. "Oh,and another thing, are you qualified to give him_ all_ of the possible tests? It wood be best not to leave Sousuke any loopholes. There really is no excuse for his behavior."  
  
Dr. Wakinabe scribbled on his pad.. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted.  
  
"What exactly are you writing down Doctor? Sousuke hasn't even started speaking yet...." There was a touch of heat in Kaname's voice.  
  
"To answer your last question, Miss Chidori, I will not divulge my notes. I will say however, that I may be recording facts.......... writing down possible questions.......... or simply doodling if it helps me in my thought process........... the way that a patient reacts to the uncertainty of all that is a potential tool in itself. I would hope that you will allow me to carry out my interview here without too many interruptions."  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry." Kaname blushed.  
  
"Thank you. You are not alone, Miss Chidori. Many people are confused about the difference between psychiatry and psychology. I am a psychologist, not a psychiatrist." Dr. Wakinabe rolled his chair back a couple of inches, assuming a pedantic tone of voice.  
  
"I do not hold a medical degree, and did not go through any form of medical training. Psychiatrists tend to focus on the use of medications for treatment, but are not required to train in psychoanalysis or psychotherapy as we psychologists are. I personally hold a Ph.D from a professional school, and have served as a Clinical Psychologist for a number of esteemed institutions. I did my doctoral dissertation on childhood traumas. I have acquired significant skill in analyzing information and drawing conclusions from psychological sessions. I am certainly qualified to evaluate Sousuke."  
  
"I will trust in your judgment, Doctor." Kaname felt sheepish.  
  
"I'm glad to hear that. I also believe that my judgment is pretty good. But, I will pass along a little wisdom. _Good judgment comes from experience._ _A lot of experience comes as the result_ _of bad judgment."_ Dr. Wakinabe sagely nodded his head.  
  
Both Sousuke and Kaname could identify with what he just said.  
  
With Kaname remaining relatively silent, Sousuke went on to describe the events of the other day. He answered all subsequent questions promptly and in amazing detail. From moment to moment, Kaname didn't know whether she felt like she was trapped in a war movie, a psychological thriller, a comedy, or a C-grade flick.  
  
"Based on your judgment and your level of concern, I can see no real psychopathology behind your actions, Sousuke. Though I will repeat my lesson on good judgment and bad judgment, if need be." Dr. Wakinabe was thrilled to have such an interesting patient.  
  
"Please, Doctor. Repeat it. As many times as you like. It would help if you tattooed the saying on each of his hands, too." Kaname was not thrilled. "You may need to use small words. _Hmmmpppfff."_  
  
Dr. Wakinabe looked over at Kaname. He scribbled some notes. Her reaction to his writing caused hi to scribble some more. She sounded bold and brash, but there was something underneath all that.  
  
_What?  
_  
"I understand, doctor" Sousuke said seriously. "I have received this lecture before, from my superiors. But, I grew up in a harsh environment. There, taking too much time to think..... or worrying too much about possible adverse outcomes..... often added to the number or corpses on the thinker's side. My first priority is Miss Chidori's safety. I do _not_ want anything to happen to her."  
  
"Sousuke, more often than not, _you_ are the reason that things happen to me!" Kaname fought the urge to swing the halisen. She knew that the reaction was irrational, but some times he just got under her skin. _"Right?"_ Her voice ended up on a plaintive note. She sighed.  
  
"I act as I see necessary, Kaname. There have been no fatalities. More important, you remain alive and unharmed." Sousuke was curious why Kaname gripped the arm of her chair when he claimed she had been unharmed.  
  
"There have not been any fatalities yet. And just what sort of life do I have with you around? I have to wonder how long it's going to be before I go crazy!" Kaname grasped the halisen firmly.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe wrote for a while, then turned the page on his note pad.  
  
"Sousuke, let's discuss that land you grew up in. Start with your earliest childhood memories, and bring me forward to the present day. Please, if any area is too difficult to discuss, give me an indication of what they are, so we may discuss them at a later date if necessary."  
  
Sousuke sat quietly for an extended period of time. He wasn't certain how to begin. So much of his past was a blur to him. Especially his earliest days.  
  
"Need a jumpstart, soldier?" Kaname's intrusion came from her need to fill the void. Her discomfort with times in her own past had her try and make light of things she suspected were serious.  
  
"Started off sucking on your mother's machine gun? Potty trained in a mine field? Learn to salute before you could walk?" Kaname zipped her lip when Dr. Wakinabe stared at her.  
  
Sousuke went on to give a thorough recounting of his life, leaving out any direct reference to Mithril. Dr. Wakinabe filled in one pad with his notes and took the plastic wrap off of a new one.  
  
Kaname was buffeted by moments of shock, horror, sympathy, disbelief, and even pride. A number of times, she had to hold a tissue to her eyes.  
  
"I thought I had more than my fair share of problems. Sousuke, you...." Kaname spoke up when Sousuke finished, but found that words couldn't explain the miasma of pain and sorrow that ebbed and flowed within her.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe had long since ceased to be surprised or astounded.  
  
"Sousuke, there are certainly a lot of things we could discuss. I will say this. You have come out remarkably intact for someone who was faced with such difficult situations. I suspect you will continue to have a hard time adjusting to the civilized world, but I expect you will continue to learn and grow successfully. I do not think it will be easy, however---for you, for those around you, or for those who stand in your way."  
  
_"Exactly!"_ Kaname exclaimed louder than she had intended. She bowed her head and blushed.  
  
"If need be, we can continue in this vein at a later date." The doctor opened a sliding file drawer and began taking out a number of folders.  
  
"At this time Sousuke, I would like to move on to a number of different types of tests, if you are willing." Dr. Wakinabe put his pad down on his desk top and poured himself a glass of water. "You make take a moment to stretch, or to ask the receptionist for a beverage or light snack."  
  
"I will do whatever you think best, sir." Sousuke was impressed with the psychologist's demeanor and attention to details.  
  
"Hope you do better on those tests than you did in Classical Japanese Literature." Kaname smiled when she saw Sousuke cringe.  
  
"Uh...."  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
"Sousuke, is Miss Chidori always so...forceful... and energetic?" Dr. Watanabe was walking around his office rearranging the order of some of his textbooks. Kaname had left the room to "freshen up."  
  
"Sir, she is somewhat subdued today. I think that is out of deference to you." Sousuke was sitting cross-legged on the floor, relaxing.  
  
"Oh. Subdued. I see." The psychologist's eyebrows rose as far as they could go. "So, she is _more_...expressive... when the two of you are alone?"  
  
"Affirmative. She is. I think she is very in touch with her emotions. She is very fortunate that way." Sousuke wished that he could understand his own feelings. "She is also very generous with her criticisms and suggestions for improvement. Unfortunately, many of her suggestions are anatomically impossible, or at odds with my assigned mission."  
  
"I see. I suppose I can understand that. Yes. Your commanding officers must have faith in your abilities...... or are set on you learning through repeated hardships...... ." Dr. Wakinabe gave Sousuke a pat on the shoulder."  
  
The door opened. Kaname entered.  
  
Both men looked somewhat guilty to her eye. Sousuke was beginning to sweat. Why?  
  
"You weren't talking about _me_, were you Sousuke?" Kaname began tapping her foot. The halisen swung back and forth in one hand.  
  
"Uh...."  
  
"Sousuke...."  
  
"I...errr...."  
  
"SOUSUKE!!!"  
  
"What was the question, Kaname?"  
  
Kaname grew red in the face.... opened her mouth to speak.... then just shook her head.  
  
A trained professional, Dr. Wakinabe kept from grinning. He picked up his pad and wrote a quick note.  
  
"Before we get started with any testing, I would like to speak to the issue of diversity and standardization. There is a tremendous amount of diversity amongst any culture. A number of distinct dynamics play a role in creating each unique individual."  
  
"Tell me about it!" Kaname grumped, looking over at a quiet and composed Sousuke.  
  
"The earliest things in our lives have the greatest impact on us, but it is the later influences that result in the greatest amount of difference among people. That being said, as each of us grows......_ unless_ we make a radical change or experience a significant trauma---we become more and more consistent in our way of thinking and reacting. It gives credence to the adage that it is difficult to teach an old dog new tricks. And...." Dr. Wakinabe frowned, interrupted again.  
  
"That's a cheerful thought. I get traumatized by dealing with the ultimate otaku, and he is likely to keep acting the same crazy way? The only way you could make me happier is if you can direct me to the nearest bridge!" Kaname pouted after tossing her hair.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe opened his drawer and took out a small packet. "Gum?" He offered chewing gum to his visitors. Kaname accepted. Sousuke did not.  
  
"As I was saying, personal growth is not linear, but is heavily weighted towards the front end of one's life. The older one gets, the less he is open to personality modification. The dynamics that a person tended to use earlier in life---physiological, psychological, social, and cultural---will provide a strong and significant undercurrent to his ongoing interaction with the environment. That being said, at your age Sousuke, there is _still_ an opportunity to affect significant change over time..... should such change seem to be particularly advantageous for you, or society as a whole."  
  
"Hallelujah!" Kaname chewed her gum with demonic fervor.  
  
"But, before we can determine if there are any issues serious enough to need attention, I want to return to my first point. Diversity. Within a given culture, and across different cultures, there are various traits that can each be considered 'normal.' There are also certain traits that will within context be considered 'abnormal.' "  
  
Kaname opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it. She hadn't known where to start.  
  
"Some behaviors will cross the line and be considered 'pathological.' " Dr. Wakinabe saw Kaname nod her head emphatically.  
  
"There are various ways to evaluate a person, and some work better in certain situations. The problem inherent in many forms of evaluation is that they are looking to establish abnormality, not confirm normalcy. But, in experienced hands, significant assessments can be made."  
  
"Doctor, is there any culture where it is considered normal to blow up school lockers, set booby traps for Art class, or run around in an amusement park mascot suit going 'Fumo fumo fumoffu?' "  
  
Dr. Wakinabe opened a file cabinet and extracted a number of hanging folders. He did not respond to Kaname's question. Opening the folders, he began sorting papers into a number of different piles.  
  
"Or, is there any context where a normal person would jump out of a moving train, leap off a cliff with a large balloon, or get into gun battles with wacked out police officers?" Kaname was just warming up.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe walked over to a personal computer and turned it on. He flashed through a number of folders until he reached the one he wanted, bringing up a screening test. He paid no more attention to Kaname's last question than he did the one before it.  
  
"Shooting watermelons with a shotgun, blind-folded? Riding his bicycle off a steep hill with a girl on back? Fighting with karate guys? Cooking up the janitor's pet fish? Kissing some other girl without permission?" Kaname was obviously miffed at being ignored. _"Hmmmpppfff!"_ The look she gave Sousuke had ominous implications.  
  
After handing Sousuke a set of papers, the psychologist returned to his seat. "We'll start off with some written screening tests. After that, I would like to see your response to the Rorschach test. The final test will be done on the office compute, if there is time. Are you ready, or do you need something to drink or a chance to visit the restroom?"  
  
"I am ready, sir."  
  
"Good. I would like you to read each question aloud to start with. Then, I would like you to pencil the answer 'yes' or 'no.' If you are uncertain, we can discuss the question further. Please begin with the top sheet and continue until all of the questions have been completed.  
  
_"Do you suspect that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving you_?" Sousuke read the question. He picked up the pencil he was given.  
  
"That's a 'yes,' Sousuke. Definitely. I know that I always feel that way." Kaname was leaning over Sousuke's shoulder.  
  
"No." Sousuke filled in the circle next to 'No.'  
  
"WHAT?!!" Kaname brought her halisen down hard on her chair arm.  
  
"Miss Chidori, please. Let Sousuke answer as he sees fit." Dr. Wakinabe scribbled some more notes.  
  
"_But_...But..." Kaname finally gave up and scowled.  
  
_"Do you persistently bear grudges and not forget insults or injuries?"_ Sousuke took a moment to think.  
  
"Another 'yes,' Sergeant Denial. I know you must bear some grudges. Pony man. Shirai. That janitor. Crazed killers. Tsubaki Issei." Kaname nodded her head. "Don't get me started on injuries."  
  
"No. I seek to remove problems and to complete missions, but I do not harbor unessesary resentment." He filled in another 'No.'  
  
"Sousuke, you big idiot!!! You're going to foul up the test. You better not do that to me. Be honest." Kaname was turning pink in the face. She accidentally swallowed her gum.  
  
_"Do you experience recurrent strange day dreams or fantasies_?" Sousuke thought a bit. "Doctor, would recurring nightmares about past traumatic events count?"  
  
"No, Sousuke. That is something entirely different." The psychologist was watching Kaname, not Sousuke.  
  
"Sousuke, you_ are_ a recurring strange day dream! You know you spend all day thinking up conspiracies and threats. You probably dream about Arm Slave battles day and night." Kaname practically dared Sousuke to gainsay her.  
  
"No."  
  
_"BAKA!!!"_ Kaname brought the halisen down sharply on Sousuke's head, making his pencil slide across his paper. Her face was a bright red.  
  
_"Do you have continuous feelings of emptiness?"_ Sousuke and Kaname each answered the question for themselves simultaneously: "Yes." Kaname looked away and blushed.  
  
_"Are you preoccupied with unlimited success or ideal love?"_ While Sousuke shook his head and filled in his chosen circle, Dr. Wakinabe spoke directly to Kaname.  
  
"Kaname, would you like to answer that question?"  
  
"No thank you, doctor. This test is for Sousuke." Her face was pale. She kept looking towards Sousuke's paper, pulling her eyes away before she could see his last answer.

_What was she doing that for?_  
  
_"Do you feel uncomfortable in situations where you are not the center of attention?"_ Sousuke answered his own question "no."  
  
Kaname continued to look away.  
  
_"Have you been cruel to people or animals?"_ Sousuke pondered the meaning of 'cruel' against the context of his life and profession.  
  
"If you don't put down 'yes' to that one Sousuke, I'll never trust you again! Trying to flush a boy's head down a toilet. Kneeing a gangster in the groin with a Bonta-Kun suit. Blowing up a girl's love letter. Interrogations. Killing. You are NOT kind and considerate like me." Kaname's eyes flashed.  
  
"No. I am not cruel."  
  
_"Wrong!"_ Kaname brought the halisen down on Sousuke's head again. Then on his shoulder. Then across the back. "How can I believe another word you say to me?" Her face turned a remarkable shade of scarlet.  
  
"Kaname. It is not a problem. You tend to believe whatever you want to believe." Sousuke rubbed his head.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe was busy writing.  
  
After finishing with the test that screened for Personality Disorders, Sousuke continued on with the questions that looked for evidence of Sexual Disorders. There were four possible answers to each entry: 'not at all'...'some of the time'...'frequently'...and 'almost always.'  
  
_"I think or fantasize about sex."_ Sousuke looked flustered. It was his turn to blush. He began to sweat heavily.  
  
Kaname looked on eagerly. She wouldn't let herself believe she cared about the answer. It would be fun just to watch Sousuke wriggle like a worm on a hook.  
  
"Uh." Sousuke tried to answer.  
  
"Uh." Again, unsuccessful.  
  
"Uh."  
  
"Come on Sousuke, _spit it out!!!"_ Kaname was seated again, gripping the arms of her chair. She had dropped the halisen.  
  
"Miss Chidori, am I going to have to ask you to wait outside?" Dr. Wakinabe's voice was stern.  
  
"No sir. Sorry. I beg your pardon."  
  
"Some of the time." Sousuke answered, not able to look the psychologist in the eyes.  
  
Kaname looked surprised.  
  
"Uh. _I am able to get an erection_. Ummm...." Sousuke knew the answer, at that moment, and most mornings hen he woke up.  
  
"Well, NOT when a pretty girl goes out and buys a sexy new white bikini and wears it to the beach. _Hmmmpppfff!!!"_ Kaname stuck out her lower lip. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and shuffled her feet.  
  
"Frequently."  
  
Kaname almost slid out of her seat.  
  
"Are you alright, Miss Chidori? Is something bothering you?" Dr. Wakinabe hid a smile when he asked.  
  
"Uh..." It was Kaname's turn to be inarticulate.  
  
Sousuke plowed ahead bravely. _"I engage in masturbation more than I feel is normal."_ Kaname never heard the answer. She had closed her eyes and placed both fingers in her ears.

There were some things she just did not need to know.  
  
Sousuke managed to finish the Sexual questions without passing out. It was one of the most difficult missions he had faced in a long while. He managed to get through the questions screening for Depression without any explosions from Kaname or beatings with the halisen. The final set of questions had to deal with Anxiety. Answer format was 'Yes or No.'  
  
_"Do you feel you worry excessively about many things?"_ Sousuke asked the psychologist for the definition of 'excessively' in the setting of the test. He wanted clarification on the difference between 'worrying' and 'being concerned about.'  
  
"The answer is a colossal 'YES,' Sousuke." Kaname nodded her head, certain.  
  
"No. I have legitimate concerns that come with my position. That is not the same as worrying."  
  
_"Bullshit."_ Kaname very rarely swore. She stammered an apology, wondering what had come over her.  
  
_Sousuke_.  
  
Sousuke had.  
  
_That big jerk!  
_  
"Sousuke, you know that you _worry_ about shoeboxes. You _worry_ about girls being in danger when they are getting dressed in their private locker room. You _worry_ about canisters of unknown substances. You _worry_ about busts made for Art class. You _worry_ about a girl going on a date with an old crush. You _worry_ about gangsters, terrorists, kidnapping, killing, molestation, explosions, gunshots, strangers...everything." Kaname was short of breath, but continued. "I worry myself sick worrying about all your worrying." She brought her hand down hard on Sousuke's arm rest. "Your answer worries me most of all!!!  
  
The only sound in the room was Kaname's heavy breathing.  
  
Sousuke looked down at his paper.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe had so much to write down, he had difficulty choosing the first item.  
  
"Should I continue now, sir?" Sousuke looked nonplussed.  
  
"It would almost seem anticlimactic..." Dr. Wakinabe was busy scribbling.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Oh! Sorry. Yes, please continue Sousuke."  
  
Sousuke made the mistake of looking over at Kaname. She had picked up the halisen. She did not look happy.  
  
_"Do you experience sensations of shortness of breath, palpitations, or shaking at rest?"_ Sousuke quickly answered 'No' and filled in the corresponding circle.  
  
Kaname was shaking. Her heart was pounding against her chest. Her breath coming in ragged gasps.  
  
_"Do you feel that you will be in a place or a situation from which you feel that you will not be_ _able to escape."_ Sousuke thought a moment. "No. That situation may very well occur, but I do not fear the occurrence."  
  
Kaname froze like a deer in a car's headlights. Her eyes were glued to Sousuke. She was entirely rigid. Three words kept tumbling through her head: 'Sousuke' and 'no escape.'  
  
Dr. Wakinabe looked on with interest.  
  
_"Do you persistently relive an upsetting event from the past?"_ Sousuke quickly answered 'Yes.'  
  
Kaname closed her eyes and bowed her head.  
  
_"Do you avoid social situations because of feelings of fear?"_ Sousuke answered 'No' to that question.  
  
Kaname mumbled under her breath. "I avoid social situations because of Sousuke."  
  
After they finished with the last of the questionnaires, Dr. Wakinabe took a deep breath and stood up. "Can I trust you two alone in this room? After all that, I find that I need a short break."  
  
Before Dr. Wakinabe returned to the room, Kaname made certain to pick up all of the items she had thrown at Sousuke. She thought she had done a good job, but there were so many books, paperweights, coffee cups, and desk utensils laying around, it was hard to remember each and every placement.  
  
She spat on a bronze bust of Sigmund Freud, polishing it with the tail of her blouse. _Maybe the doctor won't notice the dent.  
_  
Sousuke sat in his chair, waiting patiently. A trickle of blood ran down near his ear. This confrontation barely rated a _'Kaname Class 3'_ by usual standards.  
  
After shutting off the close-circuit TV, Dr. Wakinabe poured himself a third cup of coffee. He had taken the other two black. This one would be no different.  
  
Squaring his shoulders, he headed back to his office.  
  
_The simplest reactions can tell a trained observer something._  
  
Dr. Wakinabe walked into his office in a nonchalant fashion. The first thing he did was walk over to one of his end tables. "Hmmm...... I thought this ashtray was over there." He stole a glance at Kaname, holding back a grin when he saw her twitch.  
  
He walked around a bit more.  
  
"And this letter opener...... I always have it on the left side." He looked again. Kaname was pretending to be engrossed with the Middle Eastern Tapestry on the near wall.  
  
"Ah well, either I'm getting senile, or the maid has been taking creative liberties." Standing between Sousuke and Kaname, he remarked "Well, it's nice to see that the two of you can get along when you try. I expected my room to look like a war zone."  
  
Sousuke's face was blank, unmoved. Kaname was reading the fine print on her halisen.  
  
"Is there anything either of you wants to tell me? Something you would like to get off your chest?" Dr. Wakinabe looked at the two teenagers."  
  
Neither answered.  
  
"No? OK, let's get down to business again." He sat back down in his chair. He stared at his bust of Sigmund Freud, then picked it up.  
  
Kaname dropped her halisen.  
  
"We've finished the screening tests. The remaining tests fall into three categories: Trait Analysis, Psychopathology, and Psychological types. We'll do the Rorschach for the second category, and something called the Murray Appraisal Process or M.A.P. for the third. First, we'll do a little testing based on a dominant personality theory. The Big-5 factors "theory" breaks the personality into five major factors." He began to rub his hand over the bronze sculpture. "Hmmm....... I wonder how this dent got here?"  
  
Kaname smiled. "Errr........Sounds very...... interesting, Doctor!"  
  
"Really? I've always found it a bit tedious myself, and merely descriptive, but it does explain things sometimes. It is particularly good at providing insight on how two people differ, and how that difference may result in the way the treat one another."  
  
"Oh." Kaname snuck a glance at Sousuke, who was patiently listening.  
  
"I must commend you, Miss Chidori. You have sat through a lot today, on the behalf of your fellow student and at the request of your principal. Let's make this interesting for you, too. I have a pair of forms here. You can fill out one as well. There are only three hundred total items."  
  
Kaname's face went blank at the mention of "three hundred." Sousuke sat quietly.  
  
"All you need to do is check off one of five items on the rating scale: _very inaccurate_..... _moderately inaccurate_..... _neither accurate or inaccurate_..... _moderately accurate_..... or _very accurate_. Describe yourself honestly, as you see yourself, in comparison to other people you know of your same sex, of roughly the same age."  
  
"I really don't want to make extra work for you, doctor...." Kaname left her form sitting on Dr. Wakinabe's desk.  
  
I see. Since you thought it all sounded interesting, I though you'd jump at the opportunity." Dr. Wakinabe put the Sigmund Freud bronze down on the edge of the desk, directly in front of Kaname.  
  
"There is no reason to be afraid, Kaname. You are the class representative and Student Council VicePresident. You _always_ do so very well at things." Sousuke didn't see Kaname blush at his words.  
  
Sousuke and Kaname got to work. The questions seemed endless. Sousuke calmly applied himself to the task, answering questions with metronome-like precision. Kaname scratched her head, squirmed around in her chair, bit the end off of her pencil eraser, and straightened her skirt numerous times.  
  
_Worry about things  
_  
_Make friends easily  
_  
_Have a vivid imagination  
_  
_Get angry easily  
_  
_Like order  
_  
_Trust others  
_  
_Often feel blue_  
  
_Experience my emotions intensely_  
  
_Take charge  
_  
_Make people welcome_  
  
_Am easily intimidated  
_  
_Go straight to the goal  
_  
_Often eat too much  
_  
_Love excitement  
_  
_Dislike being the center of attention_  
  
_Panic easily  
_  
_Radiate joy_  
  
_Fear for the worst  
  
Believe that others have good intentions_  
  
_Like music_  
  
_Stick to the rules  
_  
_Feel other's emotions_  
  
_Like to visit new places_

_Seek adventure  
_  
_Become overwhelmed by event_  
  
_Chose my words with care_  
  
And so forth, and so on.  
  
Soon after they had both started, Kaname started checking on the answers that Sousuke gave.  
  
"Sousuke, you don't make friends, you wait for them to be assigned! I attract friends like a magnet."  
  
Dr. Waknabe began writing again.  
  
"Sousuke, you don't believe that there is an absolute right or an absolute wrong, you only believe there is an alive and a dead! I know right from wrong."  
  
"You are wrong, Kaname." Sousuke's answer had Kaname growling.  
  
"Sousuke, you never choose you words with care, like me. You've annoyed or frightened every single member of the school board and half the student body. Probably half of Tokyo, too!"  
  
"Kaname, I have not met half of Tokyo."  
  
"I was being sarcastic, you big stupid head!" Geez, how dense could he be sometimes!  
  
"Sousuke, you don't sympathize with the homeless, you create the homeless."  
  
"Kaname?"  
  
"Never mind, Sousuke. You better be very careful how you answer the question about believing in the importance of art." The halisen was in her hand, and Kaname's hand was poised over Sousuke's head.  
  
She thought about her project. She remembered the satisfaction of seeing Sousuke tied up and hanging from a tree, after he had put the Art class through Hell.  
  
When they were both done, Dr. Wakinabe fed the answer forms into a machine on his desk. The ratings were tallied, computations were performed, and the results were printed. The psychologist put the papers in two separate folders with their names on them.  
  
"Wait a minute, Doctor. You_ can't_ leave it at that. Can't we know the results?" Kaname's voice was anxious sounding.  
  
"Well...." Dr. Wakinabe thought a moment. The results themselves would have only minor usefulness. But, the reactions of the two students might prove illuminating. "If you wish."  
  
"Good. I got you beat, Sousuke!" Kaname smiled, leaned back in her chair, and started humming a happy tune.  
  
"It was a contest, Kaname?" Sousuke sat in his chair, hands folded placidly.  
  
"Let's start with _NEUROTICISM_.... the proneness to psychological distress.... excessive cravings or urges.... and unrealistic ideas. Sousuke, your score is low, that characteristically indicates that you are calm, secure, unemotional, and relaxed. Miss Chidori, your score is rather high, suggesting that you tend to be insecure, a worrier, emotional, and nervous." Dr. Wakinabe picked up his pad of paper and pencil, keeping his eye on Kaname.  
  
"Emotional??? I think the test may be mistaken. Sousuke, tell the doctor that I am not overly emotional!" She tapped her foot harder and harder. "SOUSUKE."  
  
"But Kaname, you do...."  
  
The halisen struck and returned faster than the psychologist could see. Only the fact that Sousuke lay on the ground with a rectangular red blotch on his cheek gave any indication of what had occurred.  
  
"Next up is _EXTRAVERSION_, the capacity for joy, and the need for stimulation. Sousuke, your score is low again. In this instance, it implies that you are inartistic and extremely conventional."  
  
"BINGO!!!" Kaname was smiling. She particularly agreed with 'inartistic.'  
  
"Miss Chidori, your score was high again. The results would suggest that you are talkative, optimistic, sociable, and affectionate." Dr. Wakinabe cleared his throat. "But, the test is sometimes wrong. I can see that you_ are_ very talkative, however."  
  
Kaname's mouth fell open. "But...but..._SOUSUKE!!!"_ She smacked Souske in the knee. The Doctor was not a physician, but he still took note of the perfect patellar reflex. Souske's foot had risen fairly far, kicking the bronze bust and flinging it through a decorative window.  
  
"Why?" Sousuke rubbed his knee before tending to his aching toe.  
  
"Don't be a moron, Sousuke. I couldn't hit _the_ _doctor_, could I? Besides, you should have defended me! You know how sociable and affectionate I am."  
  
"Let's tackle _OPENNESS_ next, along with the toleration for and exploration of the unknown. Sousuke, you scored low again. No surprise there. Inartistic and conventional again."  
  
_"Hmmmpppfff!!!_ At least the test is consistent and accurate for otakus!" Kaname took out a brush and started working on her hair.  
  
"Miss Chidori, your score was midline. You have some degree of creativity and originality. You may be curious and imaginative."  
  
"Yes." That was all Kaname would venture. Sousuke looked relieved.  
  
"_AGREEABLENESS_ is the fourth category, along with an assessment of one's orientation along a continuum from compassion to antagonism, in thoughts and actions. Sousuke, before we go any further, why don't you pick up your chair and walk it over towards the wall. Ten feet to the right ought to suffice."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Professional reasons, Sousuke." Dr. Wakinabe answered.  
  
"Sir!" Sousuke moved his chair.  
  
"Should I move too, doctor?" Kaname looked over at Sousuke.  
  
"That's a splendid offer, Miss Chidori. How about you move your chair ten feet to the left. Good. Thank you. Sousuke, your score was high this time. That indicates that you are good-natured, helpful, and trustful."  
  
Dr. Wakinabe took out a kerchief and wiped his brow. "The next category is _CONSCIENTIOUSNESS._ That, and the...."  
  
"Excuse me, doctor. What about _my_ scores?" Kaname had a suspicious look on her face.  
  
"Miss Chidori, since you expressed doubts about this test, why don't we just confine our discussion to Sousuke henceforth?" The psychologist double- checked to see that there was nothing valuable or irreplaceable located directly between Sousuke and Kaname. Seeing Kaname's look, he sighed.  
  
"Very well. Miss Chidori, your score was low. In ...ummm..._other people_... that would be an indication of rudeness, uncooperative nature, and irritability."  
  
No one said anything for three whole minutes.  
  
"It's OK to continue, doctor" Kaname finally said, very sweetly. "It's not as if I'm going to act immature or take things out on Sousuke." Still smiling, she mumbled to herself 'right now.'  
  
Kaname made it a point to smile at Sousuke. "It's not as if I am very upset to be here today.....missing a number of assignments..... having to make up two tests..... none of it my own fault." Her fingernails were scratching deep grooves in the wood of the chair arms.  
  
"Commendable. Rather inspiring. As I was saying, _CONSCIENTIOUSNESS_ is the final Factor. That, and an assessment of the degree of organization, persistence, and motivation in goal-oriented behavior. Sousuke, your score was extremely high. You are organized, neat, and very reliable. Your score was lower than Sousuke's, Miss Chidori, but still very high. No doubt you show the same characteristics that he does."  
  
"Higher score? Well, _congratulations_, Sousuke...."  
  
Sousuke swallowed. He knew that voice. She might have well paraphrased The Princess Bride: 'Hello... my name is Kaname Chidori... blah blah blah blah... prepare to die.'  
  
Dr. Waknabe reached for a third note pad. He looked at his wall clock.  
  
"Looking at the clock, it appears we will only have time for the Rorschach, Sousuke. If we need to do the M.A.P. or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, I can schedule another appointment. For you." Dr. Wakinabe opened his top drawer and took out a phone book.  
  
"Why don't the two of you take a quick walk outside and get a breath of fresh air."  
  
The doctor took a few moments to call about his office insurance policy, hoping there was not a large deductable. He was afraid to look and see if the errant bust had damaged anyone's automobile.


	2. Chapter 2

Dr. Wakinabe looked at his bust of Sigmund Freud. One of the receptionists had been kind enough to retrieve it for him.  
  
"Well, you old charlatan, it would be entertaining to see what you might have said about those two." He puffed away on a big cigar, the type that Churchill used to like, and Freud as well. The smoke left through a nearby opened window.  
  
"Your model of the mind may not be correct, old man, but there certainly seems to be a lot of things at war in the unconscious minds of those two. Repression of painful thoughts, and the like."  
  
The psychologist looked out of the window. Opening the screen, he tried hard to catch the words of the two teenagers down below.  
  
Sousuke and Kaname were buying drinks from a street vendor. As much as she smacked and berated the boy..... and as much as she acted as if she wanted him gone.... Kaname didn't allow him wander too far from her sight.  
  
She had followed him outside, walking behind him as he strode along the avenue.

"Well, _that_ wasn't entirely unsuspected," Dr. Wakinabe said to himself.  
  
Sousuke had handed Kaname a drink. Kaname dumped it over his head. Sousuke just stood there taking the abuse, not moving, and not putting up any kind of a fight.  
  
_That pair. They are interesting as individuals, to say the least. But, when they are together! Charcoal is generally harmless. Sulphur as well. What about saltpeter? Saltpeter was once put in food by certain armies, or used to douse equipment and uniforms. People believed it would reduce the male ardor. Excess marching did a better job of that.  
_  
"Hmmm. Got to keep the thoughts from wandering too much."  
  
_Aside from being a minor irritant to eyes or skin, and something unwise to breath or ingest in large quantities, saltpeter---potassium nitrate---is not very dangerous. But, mix them all together in the right proportions? Be careful around sparks!  
_  
"Yes, old boy, I wager Sousuke is a mix of charcoal and sulphur." The doctor tapped his finger on top of the bust. "I figure Miss Chidori for the saltpeter. I'll go even further to bet that they will either be the salvation of one another, or the destruction of each other."  
  
Looking out the window, Dr. Wakinabe had the cigar drop from his slack lips. He hadn't realized that Sousuke was armed.  
  
"You don't see that every day, do you?" he asked.  
  
Kaname's voice had echoed up to the psychologist's perch, the broken sound saying something about going home. She had thrown Sousuke in front of a speeding cab and shouted_ "TAXI !!!,"_ stopping the car.  
  
She was so busy with the taxi, that she didn't see the other car speeding straight for her from the other side of the street. From the ground, gunfire rang out. Tire fragments littered the sidewalk as the car swerved out of control, taking out a fire hydrant, a city mailbox, and a trash receptacle.  
  
_Remarkable._  
  
_Simply unbelievable.  
_  
"Should I let them back in my office, you old fake? They already put dents and divits in you. What do they have in store for me? Maybe I should have gone into combat psychology after all It would be safer."  
  
Dr. Wakinabe smiled.  
  
_They have me talking to a bronze bust. Well that's alright, sometimes I think better that way. He listened again. Now Kaname was letting Sousuke have it for being so reckless to shoot a car.  
_  
_Priceless.  
_  
His cigar smoldering on a ledge two stories below, the psychologist decide to close his window. He had heard enough. Walking over to a painting on the wall, he found another historical figure to talk to. Emil Kraeplin.  
  
"Well Emil, I won't tell you what Sigmund said about you. I know the psychiatrists dismiss Freud out of hand, embracing your concepts of a biological and genetic basis for psychiatric disorders. It gives them justifications for all of their drugs and their talking. But what would you think if you saw _that_ pair?  
  
_Could you rule out childhood trauma or parental relationships as a cause of their issues? Would you say that anyone who suspected major social and environmental causes was full of bunk? Just because Freud may have been a liar and a cheat in some ways, doesn't mean that everything he said was wrong.  
_  
Dr. Wakinabe stood there a few moments, lost in thought. He heard a number of voices approaching in the hallway outside his door. The voices were getting louder. It was Sousuke and Kaname.  
  
Taking his empty water glass off of his desk, he put it against the wall, and his ear up against it.  
  
"So, were you scared out there, Sousuke?"  
  
"Scared, Kaname? I had no fear of the Taxi. They generally stop in time."  
  
"No, Sousuke. Were you scared when you saw the car heading for me?"  
  
"Kaname, as you noted, it was not headed for me."  
  
"SOUSUKE!!!"  
  
"Yes, Kaname."  
  
"'Yes, Kaname _what_?"  
  
"I was scared, Kaname."  
  
"Oh."  
  
The voices stopped getting closer. Dr. Wakinabe was taking notes again.  
  
"So, you were scared for _me_, Sousuke?"  
  
"Uh"  
  
"Sousuke?"  
  
"Uh"  
  
_"SOUSUKE!!!"  
_  
"What, Kaname?"  
  
"Were you scared for me?"  
  
"Ummm...."  
  
"Sousuke, just say it."  
  
"Errr...."  
  
Dr. Wakinabe was smiling. It certainly had been an interesting session so far.  
  
"Say it, Sousuke!"  
  
"Kaname, please keep your voice down. There may be patients in these other rooms. It is time to go back in the office. We do not wish to leave Dr. Wakinabe with a bad impression."  
  
As the door opened, Dr. Wakinabe said a short prayer.

_His insurance agent had not been very reassuring_.  
  
Walking back to his desk, he shook his head.  
  
Even if he were to tell someone else about all this, would they believe him?  
  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
  
Sousuke sat quietly in his chair, politely waiting for Dr. Wakinabe to resume his testing. Kaname kept flicking glances his way, as if she was embarrassed by his condition. His hair and shirt were still damp from her soft drink. His black shoes were scuffed and asphalt marks streaked up and down his trousers. There was a superficial abrasion high on his left cheek.  
  
She wondered just how Sousuke kept getting in so much trouble.  
  
"So, did the two of you enjoy you stroll outside. Did the fresh air relax you?" The psychologist chided himself. This was serious business. He shouldn't be enjoying himself.  
  
"Invigorating, doctor." Kaname looked very happy.  
  
"It was nothing unusual, sir." Sousuke sounded as if someone had simply asked him about the weather.  
  
Dr. Wakinabe's smile was forced.  
  
_Nothing unusual?  
_  
No wonder the principal had been so insistent.  
  
_I'll have to keep my eye on the newspaper for mention of Jindai Highschool. Then again, the disasters need not be exclusive to that building, would they.  
  
Hmmm. Should I ask them if they were anywhere near the area where those snow-removal tractors caused so much property damage earlier in the year? Or those other things that were so out of the ordinary?  
_  
_No.  
  
Let's not resort to flights of fancy.  
_  
"Glad to hear that. Let's move on to the Rorschach Test, then. First off, have either of you taken the test before...... had the results explained to you...... or read about it on the internet? If so, that would invalidate the results."  
  
"No." Kaname's look begged a question: why would I _ever_ want to learn anything about _that_, and do you think I have ever been in a shrink's office before?!  
  
"No." Sousuke was simply being factual.  
  
"Very good. There are only ten real Rorscach inkblots. Attempts are made to keep them secret. There are a lot of fakes going around. As I implied, it is important that your responses be spontaneous. Your reactions may reveal valuable clues about your personality. Some of us view it as a cardinal tool, while others feel that it is hopelessly unreliable. Taken in context with other things I have learned about you Sousuke, I should be able to tell whether your answers carry any significance." Dr. Wakinabe reached into his cabinet and withdrew an large Manilla envelope.  
  
"Doctor, does the environment matter? Should the subject being in a familiar or common setting when he responds? If so, we may need to take those inkblots with us into the middle of traffic, a gang fight, a smoke- filled gymnasium, or a war zone!" Kaname smiled sweetly.  
  
"No, Miss Chidori. I assure you, we'll be fine here. I'm curious though, what would _Sousuke's_ usual environment be?"  
  
Kaname was too stunned to answer. She did not find the joke to be funny in the least.  
  
Sousuke's mouth twitched. He came perilously close to grinning. He suddenly had the urge to salute Dr. Wakinabe.  
  
"Now, I am certain that you may have questions about the process, and about the cards themselves. The things you are supposed to know, I will tell you. The things you are not, I will not. That is standard procedure, not any reflection of my personality. I'll need to pull up a chair and sit behind and to the side of you while you read the cards. I'll hand you one card at a time. While there are answers that are fairly common, there are not necessarily 'right' answers or 'wrong' answers. Don't be afraid of anything that seems too obvious. Just tell me what comes to mind."  
  
"Is there a correct way to look at the cards, doctor?" Sousuke was a stickler for protocol.  
  
"Yes, you numbskull...... with your eyes open!" Kaname laughed, unconcerned that nobody joined in her laughter. "I have to tell him everything. _Sheesh."_  
  
"You may hold the cards however you like. It's up to you." Without letting Sousuke or Kaname see, the psychologist slipped his shirt sleeve off of a "tickless" watch. He was prepared to take shorthand notes of everything that was said.  
  
Kaname pulled her chair over until it rested against Sousuke's.  
  
_This should be very interesting, Dr. Wakinabe thought. It's OK for him to be highly original, as long as he can justify what he sees. There's nothing wrong with originality, creativity, or unique intelligence_.  
  
_I hope he doesn't use non sequiturs, or images that don't fit the blot. I really hope I don't see any signs of psychoses. And, he should see more than one thing on each card. I'm not anxious to find any signs of neuroses either.  
  
I need to see how long it takes him, as well.  
_  
"Here, Sousuke. Ink blot A."  
  
**Black ink. A roughly triangular shape, point down, suggesting a broad foxlike face with pointed ears.  
**  
Sousuke held the card the way it was handed to him. His answer came almost immediately. "A bat. Or, perhaps a butterfly or a moth."  
  
_Good answer, young man. And very quick.  
_  
"Doctor, should there be any sexual connotations to these as well?" Sousuke sounded a bit sheepish asking.  
  
"Yes, there may very well be. Do you see any in that blot?"  
  
"Uh. Ah. Yes." Sousuke began to sweat. "The round shapes near the top could be taken for breasts."  
  
"Please, Sousuke. What would you know about breasts anyway. They are not military issue. They don't have centerfolds in Jane's Defense Weekly or Arm Slave Quarterly." Kaname pushed her hair back. "You probably haven't even tumbled to the fact that I have breasts. Two of them. _Hmmmmppff!"  
_  
Kaname grabbed the card out of Sousuke's hand. "Besides, this is not a bat. _A bat?_ It's a spooky mask, or maybe a jack o'lantern. _Butterfly?_ Geez, that's a girl's answer.... maybe I should buy some potpourri for your wittle weapons bag." She ended with her trademark loud and obnoxious laugh.  
  
_Hmmm. What about the girl's answer? It's OK. But in some circumstances it might indicate paranoia_.  
  
"You notice the breasts.... amazingly enough.... you sure you never read anything about these before...but you don't say anything about the woman in the center. Of course, I can see how you could miss that! Poor thing looks like she's trapped. Probably makes you feel guilty." Kaname tossed her hair. "Yes, that _is_ a poor woman trapped by circumstances beyond her control.  
  
_Hmmm. The description of the central image is often a projection of the subject's own self-image._

"You mean that looks like a woman, or could be a woman. What it is, is an inkblot, Miss Chidori." Dr. Wakinabe jotted down more shorthand.  
  
"I _realize_ that, doctor. I'm not a nutcase, you know_. He's_ the one you need to focus on." Kaname thumbed her hand in Sousuke's direction.  
  
"I see."  
  
More note taking.  
  
"Sousuke, this is inkblot B."  
  
**Black and red ink. Two dark-gray splotches suggesting dancing figures. Red splotches at the top of each figure and at bottom center.  
**  
Again, Sousuke's response was quick in coming. "Two people. Perhaps women, or maybe clowns or mimes. I did not see a sexual image off hand. Is that a problem, doctor?"  
  
_Another excellent response._  
  
"No Sousuke, only mention the things that come to you without too much thought. Do you see such an image, though?"  
  
"Uh. Ah. Yes. The red area could be umm.......... a woman's private area."  
  
"_Vagina,_ Sousuke. The word is vagina. You won't burst into flames you know!" Kaname grabbed the card. "Where are there any mimes??? I don't see any people. A couple of funny looking statues, maybe. Get with the program, soldier."  
  
_No people? Just statues? She may have some difficulty relating to people at times. And what is her issue with mimes?  
_  
"Sousuke, here's ink blot C."  
  
**Black and red ink. Two obvious figures facing one another. Butterfly-shaped red blot between the figures. An elongated red blot behind each figure's head.  
**  
Sousuke was about to open his mouth, but hesitated.  
  
"Is there a problem, Sousuke?"  
  
"No sir. It is just that I saw one thing first, but then looked at it from a different angle and saw something different. Both figures have breasts, so I thought they must be women. But then, the red made me think of blood and battle, and I noticed that each figure had obvious maleness, and could instead be soldiers."  
  
_Well, had he said the figures were both male and female, some old examiners would have suspected he was homosexual. But, that interpretation is out of vogue. In any case, he noticed it separately, in different contexts. His first response was the correct one.  
_  
_What will Miss Chidori say. She would no doubt feel compelled to offer her own interpretation_.  
  
"Sousuke, I can't belive it.. You got one right. Don't go getting my hopes up like that." Kaname was holding the card now. Her answer was well within the accepted limits.  
  
Blots D, E, and F went well for the two students.  
  
"Have a look at blot G, Sousuke."  
  
**Black ink. A U-shaped blot. Each side of the U resembles a female figure in a narrow-waisted dress. The mother card.  
**  
_Sousuke's response to the father card indicated a feeling of uncertainty and loss. I suspect this one will as well. Kaname had positive feelings for her father. What is her relationship with her mother?  
_  
"It looks like two women, doctor. They look like they are fading away out of view. I can't say much more about them." Sousuke's voice had a touch of sadness.  
  
"Here, Sousuke. Let me check up on you again. A gold star for Kaname's bright boy! It does look like women. And they are going away. It's not fair, but that's just the way it is. It will probably effect the men that we don't see in the picture." Kaname's voice was loud, insistant. Her eyes welled slightly with tears.  
  
"But, you missed the thundercloud. That's to be expected, I guess. Everywhere you go, there's some kind of cloud. Before, during, or after."  
  
Dr. Wakinabe marked down his observations.  
  
_Thundercloud? That would be a sign of anxiety.  
_  
Blot H was interpreted well by Sousuke and Kaname. Blot I would be a telling one.  
  
"What do you see in ink blot I, Sousuke?" Dr. Wakinabe handed the next to the last card to the young soldier.  
  
**Green, orange, and pink ink. A very irregular upright rectangle. Orange at the top, protruding green areas at the center, and pink at the bottom.  
**  
Kaname was standing now, looking over Sousuke's shoulder at the card.  
  
Sousuke struggled with this card. He turned it a number of ways, and then back again. "Perhaps I am too used to battle. But, all I can see is an explosion. That, and..." Sousuke shook his head and looked again.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Monsters, sir. Orange monsters or men fighting."  
  
_This is a hard one to find a definite image in. 'Explosion's was an appropriate answer. 'Monsters' though, and 'men fighting,' those are classic signs of poor social development. No surprise there. Any time now, Kaname should be grabbing the card. She'll probably bump into Sousuke in the process.  
_  
"Sousuke, give me that! Hey, next time move your head out of my way." It took her a while as well.  
  
"I don't see any monsters fighting. But, if you hold the card this way, you can see a man's head. Or if you hold it this way, it looks like that bad modern art rendition we saw in the museum...... before you set off the smoke grenade afterwhen you seeing the old man with a large umbrella under his trench coat."  
  
"It could have been a gun, Kaname."  
  
Dr. Wakinabe jotted down more shorthand after Kaname gave her answer.  
  
After the tenth and final card was done without any untoward responses or happenings, Dr. Wakinabe put his pad down and put the ink blots away. He stretched his arms out and moved his neck in a circular motion. He cracked his knuckles.  
  
"I envy the two of you your youth. That was a rather long session. Sousuke, there are definitely some things from you past........ and from your entering your profession at so young an age........ that are affecting you greatly today. I must say, you are holding up better than anyone might have suspected."  
  
"I am glad to hear that, Sir!"  
  
"It's everybody else who's taking all the damage...." Kaname muttered to herself.  
  
"It may well be that therapy sessions could help make your life easier for you. I cannot say, however, how the changes might impact your effectiveness as a warrior. My report to the school will be favorable. They should not require anything further. If you are interested in sessions, or in taking further tests, please do not hesitate to call me."  
  
"Take him up on his offer, Sousuke. I will pay the bill for you. Or, _You Know Who_ probably will." Kaname said, pulling her socks up.  
  
"Kaname, the ones whom we will not name have no reason to pay. You have never queried me on the subject before and I had no reason to ever tell you..... their specialists have met with me in the past."  
  
Sousuke nodded his head politely to the psychologist. "I thank you for a thorough examination, and for some thoughtful analysis. You are a true professional." He shook Dr. Wakinabe's hand and started to walk from the room.  
  
"Finally. I can get out of this place. I can't believe he didn't see just how wacked-out you are, Sergeant Psycho! _Walk faster_, I'm ready to get back to school." Kaname was pushing Sousuke from behind.  
  
"Miss Chidori," Dr. Wakinabe said, casuing her to stop and turn around. "Sousuke is free to go. I would like for you to stay behind for a couple of minutes. We should try and find a mutually convenient time on both of our schedules."  
  
_"Doctor???"_ Kaname's heart sank. Her pulse rate jumped up. Suddenly, her mouth felt dry.  
  
"There are a number of tests I would like to have you do. I think you would benefit greatly from some therapy sessions. I will be writing that down in my report to Mr. Ichibara." The doctor was glad that Kaname had stayed.  
  
_Kaname froze.  
_  
Sousuke had to carry her from the room.


End file.
